Combination shaft support and antirattler.



Y cow APPLICATION FILED MAE. 2, 1912.

P atented Feb. 25, 1913.

C0, WASHINGTON D C PATRICK S. OTOOLE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COMBINATION SHAFT SUPPORT AND ANTIR-ATTLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

Application filed. March 2, 1912. Serial No. 681,250.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PATRICK S. OTooLE, acitizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination ShaftSupports and Antirattlers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a combination shaft supportand anti-rattler and has for its object a strand of spring materialsuitably bent to contact with the shaft, and also to retain the shaft inposition to the thill coupling.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention in its operativeposition. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side view of the lower portion ofmy device shown in its position with the thill coupling. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of my device detached.

Referring to the drawings in detail 4: indicates a vehicle axle, 5 thethill coupling secured to the axle and 6 one member of the shaft. 7indicates my device, which consists of a rod preferably of spring steel,the same being bent at the point indicated by he numeral 8, forming ashaft supporting portion 9, the end 10 being upturned so as to contactwith the side of the shaft and prevent the same from becoming detached.The rod is again bent or formed into a loop 11, its upturned end 12 bentat the point indicated by the numeral 18 forum ing a horizontal portion14:; this portion is again bent forming a loop 15, and the end 16 beinglocated parallel with the portion 11; this end 16 is passed through theears 1? of the thill coupling and through the supporting eye 18 formedon the shaft 6, this end 16 acting as the ordinary bolt for supportingthe shaft to the thill cou pling.

\Vhen the device is inserted in a position as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig.2, and the weight of the shaft contacting with the end 9 of the rod, theportion 141 will contact with the under side of the ears 17 of the thillcoupling imparting a downward pressure on the end 16 passing through theears; this arrangement acting as an anti-rattler to prevent the shaftfrom rattling between the ears, as the tendency of the shaft is to pressupwardly on the end 16 between the ears and clownwardly on the end 9 ofthe rod.

The material out of which these supports are constructed is ofsufficient rigidity to support the shaft in a horizontal position so asto relieve its weight from the back of the horse, at the same timeholding the shaft in a horizontal position when the vehicle is not inuse. The posit-ion is such that the device can not become detached onaccount of the same being in alinement with the bend 19, (see Fig. 1),and in order to remove the device from its position so that the shaftscan be removed from the thill coupling, the said shafts must be placedin a vertical position so that the supports can be removed from thethill couplings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto have secured to me by the grant of Letters Patent, is:

A device of the class described comprising a rod having a horizontalbent portion 9, an upturned end 10, said rod provided with a loop 11, abent portion 14 and a parallel portion 16 in combination with a shaftand thill coupling, the portion 16 supporting the shaft in the thillcoupling, the portion 14: contacting with the under side of the ears ofthe thill coupling and the portion 9 supporting the shaft in an elevatedposition, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK S. OTOOLE. l/Vitnesses ALFRED A. EICKS, -WALTER C. STEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of ZEatents, Washington, D. C.

